Report -St. Luke's Asylum, Middlesborough 2010

I should have danced all night

Saint Luke's had some fine examples of mental artwork which was one of my favourite bits of the whole place. In its day, I'd imagine it was a pretty high-security facility because there were so many insanely high fences within some of the courtyards, the drainpipes had anti-climb covers on and there were more two way mirrors than you could chuck Alice in Wonderland at. I don't think St. Luke's has very long left so if you're in the area, pop in for a look around before it goes

Here's some history from Wikipedia:

St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England is unique as it is a remaining example of a well intact Victorian asylum. The building now provides a range of services for adults and older people with mental health problems and learning disabilities. It also contains the regional medium secure psychiatric unit in a modern building to the rear of the hospital called the Hutton Centre. The hospital lies beside the 1010 bedded James Cook University Hospital. It was built from 1893-1898 and was first named Middlesbrough Borough Asylum.

The trust Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS trust (who also run the modern West Park Hospital in Darlington and Earls House Hospital in Durham), are planning to replace the hospital with a new 312 bedded facility so that all inpatients can benefit from having their own bedrooms.